Fish holding table



June 17, 1958 E. H. HICKEY 2,838,787

FISH HOLDING TABLE Filed Nov. 27, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 9--P' 35 45 33Earl H. Hickey INVENTOR. 3/ BY w may J1me 1958 E. H. HICKEY FISH HOLDINGTABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed-Nov. 27, 1956 M 8 m M, a m W H by H M WUnited My invention relates to improvements in tables for supportingfish for sealing or filleting.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a table for the abovepurpose having an attaching clamp readily and quickly attachable. to thegunwale, or the like, of a boat to support'the table in either inboardor outboard position relative to the boat with the table verticallyadjustable on the clamp 'into positions most convenient for scaling orfilleting of a fish thereon, by a fisherman in the boat, together withhold-down means for clamping -a fish adjacent its head and tail ends tothe table for scaling or filleting and which is simply constructed andeasy to operate. I

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accom panying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective of my improved table with the clampdetached and the parts shown in position for operation to clamp a fishto the table;

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 22of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in bottom plan;

Figure 4 is a view in vertical transverse section taken on the line 4-4of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view'in plan; and,

Figure 6 is a view in vertical longitudinal section illustrating themanner in which the parts are operated to clamp a fish to the table.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, according to my invention, anoblong rectangular fish supporting table, designated generally by thenumeral 1 is provided and which will now be described in detail. Thetable 1 comprises a U-shaped frame 3 of flat bar metal and whichincludes a pair of spaced side bars 5, a rear crossbar 7, and anintermediate front crossbar 9 spaced rearwardly from bifurcated frontends 11 of the side bars 5. A table top 13, of sheet metal, covers theframe 3, partly, from the rear bar 5 to the front bar 9 and is formedwith downturned side and end flanges 15, 17 fitting against and suitablysecured to the side bars 5 and the end bars 7, 9.

The attaching clamp, designated generally 19 comprises an elongated,inverted channel member 21 of suitable metal adapted to straddle,horizontally, the gunwale, or other part of a boat, not shown, andhaving a pair of clamping hand screws 23 extending through one sidethereof and through bosses 25 on said side and provided with the usualhand-grip bars 27. The member 21 is provided with a pair of U-shapedupright, reinforcing flanges 29 on opposite ends thereof formed with apair of upstanding notched detent segments 31 straddled by the frontends 11 of the side bars 5, said front ends 11 being pivoted to thesegments 31 concentrically thereof by a cross shaft 33, whereby thetable 1 is vertically swingably adjustable on the clamp 19.

:1 Patent The segments 31 form part of locking means for retaining thetable in adjusted position. This means further includes a headed slidebolt 35 extending through the front bar 9 and flange 11 parallel withthe frame 3 and provided forwardly of the table top 13 and centrally ofthe end bar 9 with a nut 37 carrying a detent cross rod 39 slidablyextending at its ends through longitudinal slots 41 in the front ends 11for seating in the notches 38 ofthe segments 31. A tension coil spring43 on the slide bolt 35 between the nut 37 and the flange 17 of thetable top 13 yieldingly urges the detent rod 35 toward the segments 31to seat in selected notches 38 of said segments.

The hold-down means comprises a pair of inverted U- shaped clampingyokes 45 of rod material which straddle the table top 13 transverselywith terminal hooks 46 extending through end apertures 47 in a pair ofcrossbars 49 beneath the frame 13. The crossbars 49 are slidably mountedcentrally thereof on a longitudinal rod 51 extending longitudinally ofand beneath the frame 3 so that by adjusting said bars 49 along the rod51, the yokes 45 may be adjusted to straddle the head and tail end of afish 53 disposed lengthwise on the table top 13.

A hand lever 55 is provided for pulling the rod 51 downwardly to pullthe yokes 45 into clamping engagement with the fish 53 and comprises astraight handle portion 57 extending longitudinally of the table 1beneath the rod 51. The handle portion 57 is provided with an upstandingforked front end 59 terminally pivoted, as at 61, between the bifurcatedfront ends 11 of the side bars 5 forwardly of the table top 13 so thatsaid lever 55 is vertically swingable on the frame 3.

The hand lever 55 comprises a pair of side-by-side bars 63 securedtogether with spacing strips 65 therebetween by rivets 67. A pair oftension springs 69 are secured at one end, as at 71, to an intermediateportion of the handle portion 57 and are secured at their other ends, asat 73, to an intermediate portion of the rod 51 between the bars 49. Aswill be seen, the bars 49, rod 51, and springs 69 form pressureequalizing operating connections between the hand-lever 55 and the yokes45, whereby downward swinging of the lever 55 will exert yieldinguniform pressure against the yokes 45 to move said yokes downwardly intoclamping position.

A locking bar depends from the frame 3 between the bars 63 and thehandle portion 57 in the rear of the spring 69, with an edged notch 77engageable with a cross rivet 79 in said handle portion 57 to lock thelever 55 in downwardly swung position whereby to lock the yokes 55 inclamping position. The locking lever 75 is pivoted at its upper end, asat 81, between a pair of ears 33 on the rear bar 7 of the frame 3 forswinging of said locking bar to engage and disengage the notch 77 withthe rivet 79 whereby to lock and unlock the hold-down means and theyokes 45 in locking position.

In using and operating the described invention, the attaching yoke 19 isattached, as previously explained, and the table 1 adjusted to extendfrom one side of the clamp 19 and then lock in level or verticallytilted position, as desired, by the described locking means. Duringadjustment of the table, the slide bolt 35 of the locking means is heldretracted by hand to retract the detent rod 39 into idle position andwhen said table is properly adjusted, the slide bolt 35 is released sothat the detent rod 39 will snap under the influence of the spring 43into an appropriate notch 38 of the segments 31 to lock the table inadjusted position. The hand lever 55 is then swung up wardly into theapproximate position shown in Figure 2 so that the clamping yokes 45 maybe pulled upwardly for insertion of a fish 53 under the same. The fish53 is then positioned lengthwise on the table top 13 beneath the yokes45 and said yokes slide along the rod 51 until they are positioned overthe head and tail end of the fish as shown in Figure 6. The hand lever55 is then swung downwardly into the position shown in Figure 6 tooperate the described hold-down means for pulling the yokes 45 intoclamping engagement with the fish. The locking bar 75 is then swung fromthe approximate position shown in Figure 2 into the position shown inFigure 6 to lock the hand lever 55 in downswung position and the yokes45 in clamping position. Then the fish 'may be scaled or filleted whilerigidly supported on the table top 13. Upon swinging of the lockinglever into unlocking position, in a manner which will be clear, thedescribed holddown means will be loosened so that the yokes 45 may belifted clear of the fish 53 for removal of the filleted or scaled fish.By reversing the position of the clamp 19, side for side, the table 1may be positioned inside or outside a boat, as desired, that is, whenattached to the gunwale or like part of a boat. Obviously,'however, theclamp 19 may be attached to other parts of the boat to attach the table1.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A table for supporting a fish for scaling or filleting comprising anelongated frame adapted to be attached to a part of a boat, a table topon said frame, a plurality of U-shaped yokes straddling said frame andtop to straddle a fish on said top in laterally spaced relation anddownwardly movable to clamp a fish to said top, a hand lever pivoted onsaid frame and extending beneath the frame longitudinally thereof, ahorizontal rod beneath said frame downwardly movable, means slidablyconnecting said yokes to said rod for adjustment laterally thereon tostraddle fish of different lengths, and movement downwardly by said rod,and means operatively connecting said lever to said rod, said slidablyconnecting means comprising crossbars slidable on said rod, and meansterminally connecting said yokes to said Crossbars.

2. A table for supporting a fish for scaling or filleting comprising anelongated frame adapted to be attached to a part of a boat, a table topon said frame, a plurality of U-shaped yokes straddling said frame andtop to straddle a fish on said top in laterally spaced relation anddownwardly movable to clamp a fish to said top, a hand lever pivoted onsaid frame and extending beneath the frame longitudinally thereof, ahorizontal rod beneath said frame downwardly movable, means slidablyconnecting said yokes to said rod for adjustment laterally thereon tostraddle fish of different lengths, and movement downwardly by said rod,and means operatively connecting said lever to said rod, said operatingconnections comprising tension springs terminally connected to saidlever and rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS822,635 Slyder June 5, 1906 1,035,739 Raes Aug. 13, 1917 2,201,285Blackburn May 21, 1940 2,263,965 Fiori Nov. 25, 1941 2,300,321 SwezeyOct. 27, 1942 2,312,957 Cannon Mar. 2, 1943 2,610,356 Holton Sept. 16,1952

